Second Chances
by GirlInterruptedCorrupted
Summary: {{ past story arc au, oc x Michael III, read notes at the beginning }} Arielle Jace left Port Charles and she swore not to return.. But now she's got to go back to the very place she never wanted to come back to. Michael is dealing with the aftermath of the death of Abby. Will this be their second chance at happiness? Will all their what ifs be answered? Can two broken hearts mend
1. Chapter 1

**before i start, i found this on an old flashdrive earlier, it's one of the first GH things I ever wrote, i thought I'd share. Yes, it's a Michael III x OC story and this is the only part I have so far..**

 **It's set around the time right after Abby died, so obviously, none of the current drama will be happening exactly as it did if i keep it going that far. If people like it, I'll keep working on it, gladly. I sort of have a few ideas for it, even now.. The original character is potentially going to be the actual daughter of my favorite Port Charles couple Caleb + Livvie, though she did not grow up with them, instead, she was stolen by Caleb's manager, put up for adoption and adopted by an alcoholic dock worker and his quiet and timid wife..**

 **there will be triggering things in this if I keep it going, btw.. What do you guys think? Do I keep writing this one? I'll be real, I have no idea why I ever stopped.**

* * *

ONE

"We have to do the movie here though? In Port Charles?" the brunette gave a slightly annoyed roll of her eyes as she continued to talk on the phone in her hands to her agent, who'd gotten her a gig shooting some B Level horror movie that was being filmed in Port Charles and directed by one of it's own residents, Dillon Quartermaine. He'd specifically cast her in one of the leads after he realized that like him, she was a Port Charles native.

Port Charles was not somewhere she wanted to return to, all the place held for her were bad memories and disappointment. She'd been in the sleepy little town for ten minutes and all she wanted to do already was leave again, go back to Los Angeles.

She could feel the bad mojo settling in her veins already, the feeling only worsened as she drove past the city limits sign. She'd hung up with her agent and she sighed aloud, lighting up another cigarette, rolling down the driver side window to flick ashes out.

"It's just a few months." she reminded herself, turning on her GPS even though she didn't need it, she knew this town like the back of her hand because she'd been raised here, she'd attended Madison Prep on an academic scholarship when she was a teenager.

The thought of her old alma mater got her wondering if Kristina Corinthos Davis was still in town, they'd been best friends back then.. "I'll go by her old house later." the brunette promised herself as she pulled her Ferrari to a stop in front of the curb outside Kelly's.

She was not prepared to see him walk out of the diner.. she also wasn't prepared for the sucker punch to the gut she got when she saw him again after so many years.

To say that Michael Corinthos had grown up to be this walking symbol of her wildest desires would be sugar coating it and Arielle knew that. Taking a few long deep breaths, she got out of the fire engine red sports car she was and shut the door with her hip, fingertips tangling in wind blown brown hair as she looked everywhere but directly at Michael.

And naturally, that's when her agent gave a whistle, calling her over to a table outside the diner on the sidewalk.

She wasn't looking but Michael's head snapped up and for a few seconds, Michael leaned on a lamp post, arms crossed, watching the brunette slink towards one of the outdoor tables to an older man as he shook his head and wondered to himself why the name Arielle sounded so familiar.

And why she sort of looked familiar, too.. Not that he'd been staring at her for any certain amount of time or anything, – he had since she'd gotten out of the fire engine red two seater sports car, a Ferrari from the looks of it, but he'd die before admitting it.

He was still hurting over the recent loss of his girlfriend Abby Haver.

Arielle sat down and the agent nodded behind her, giving a smirk as he assessed, "You already got fans, Ari."

"He actually went to the same school with me for a while… Until he wound up going to Pentonville." Arielle gave her agent a look and then said calmly, "Don't, okay? I know that look, the lecture that's coming. My image and whatever.. Just spare me today. Give me the rundown on what I've got to do so I can go get started looking for an apartment. I'd like to get all this over with as quickly as possible.. Port Charles is not somewhere I planned to return to.."

"If he's a convict, Ari, it's in your best interest to stay away, but… you need to deal with your past, girl, stop running from it."

"Marlon?"

"Yeah, sugar?"

"You're not Dr. Phil.. And if I hadn't ran from my past, you wouldn't have half the money you got right now.. Might not be a good idea to give me advice and try to get me to face my past?" Arielle sipped the drink that was sat down in front of her, staring at the older man for a moment. He'd been more like a father to her than an agent, and he was one of her oldest friends but sometimes, she just got this feeling.. If something catastrophic happened to her tomorrow, he wouldn't hang around long..

Nobody ever seemed to, really.

It was one reason she was glad to get her diploma, get the hell out of Port Charles and how she was known as bottom of the barrel dock worker daughter trash here. To get out, to make a name for herself. To start over and be anybody but herself.

Down the sidewalk, Michael stopped for a moment and he thought about one of the nights he was in the coma, when he'd started to come out of it, the soft voice, the hand over his on the hospital bed.. A foggy image of the girl had played in front of his eyes that night, and seeing Arielle again, it made him wonder…

What if he hadn't gone to Pentonville?

What if he'd been a normal guy and he'd actually made a move for Arielle back in the day?

He shook his head, raking a hand over the back of his head, answering his phone as it rang, starting to talk to his uncle Jason and he did his best to put all these nagging what ifs out of his head…

Abby was the woman he loved and Abby was gone. He was still in a bad place because of the prison rape.. he was in no shape to be with anyone right now, let alone be wondering about what his life might be like if one thing and a junior high / high school crush had actually gone the right way instead of so horribly wrong the way it had..

Arielle couldn't help that her eyes fixed on an older Michael as he disappeared down the sidewalk. She couldn't help that her mind automatically went to wondering what if he'd woken up and found the 8 page letter she'd written him?

Would it have changed anything about her life right now?

Did she really want her life to be different? She didn't hurt anymore, she didn't feel anything anymore, really, she was kind of numb, actually..

But what would be different if one thing had happened differently?

"Guess I'll never know." she muttered to herself as she bit into a chocolate chip cookie and focused her full attention on listening to and memorizing her schedule for this upcoming movie she'd be making.


	2. Chapter 2

**before i start, i found this on an old flashdrive earlier, it's one of the first GH things I ever wrote, i thought I'd share. Yes, it's a Michael III x OC story and this is the only part I have so far..**

 **It's set around the time right after Abby died, so obviously, none of the current drama will be happening exactly as it did if i keep it going that far. If people like it, I'll keep working on it, gladly. I sort of have a few ideas for it, even now.. The original character is potentially going to be the actual daughter of my favorite Port Charles couple Caleb + Livvie ( don't hold me to it, I have not quite made up my mind yet because i could also do another couple or not do one at all), though she did not grow up with them, instead, she was stolen by Caleb's manager, put up for adoption and adopted by an alcoholic dock worker and his quiet and timid wife..**

 **there will be triggering things in this if I keep it going, btw.. What do you guys think? Do I keep writing this one? I'll be real, I have no idea why I ever stopped.**

* * *

TWO

The doors to the Metro Court slid open and the brunette slunk in out of the rain, sliding off a leopard print raincoat, sliding a pair of red framed sunglasses up into her dark hair as Carly happened to look up from the computer at the front desk.

"The reservation was made for me by my agent, it's under Ari Bouiver?" Arielle said as she waited, chewing a piece of gum. Carly eyed the girl a moment, she'd seen her somewhere before, she was almost certain of it. "I've seen you before.."

"I was the 3rd victim on the cliffhanger episode of CSI last season." Arielle mused, giving a sheepish smile for a moment and then she was all business… until the door opened and Michael walked in. She tried not to do it, but her eyes connected with his for a split second, and it was something that didn't go missed by Carly, either.

"I don't think that's where I've seen you, Ms. Bouiver." Carly mused, noting the way the room seemed to just instantly become void of air. Michael, she noticed, was staring just as intently at Ari Bouiver as Ari was now trying to avoid his gaze. Needing to get out, to call Sam and have her look into the girl in question given what she'd just witnessed, Carly told Michael, "Can you get her into her room?"

"Yeah, it's not a problem, mom." Michael walked around the counter, and for a second, neither of them spoke. Finally, Michael said quietly, " It's Arielle, right? We went to Madison Prep together for a while."

"Yeah."

"I thought your last name was Jace." Michael blurted out tactfully as Arielle gave a soft laugh that made him look up and right at her and explained, "That's show business, Mike. You get to become somebody else."

"You're an actress or a model then?" Michael asked, again kicking himself for his awkwardness, as his eyes settled on her lips first and the shade of bright red gloss, the fullness and their pouty shape, before finally managing to meet her bright brown eyes.

She sort of reminded him of a younger Sam..

He said nothing about it though, because he'd always thought she resembled his uncle Jason's longtime girlfriend, now though, it was more definite.

"A wannabe actress, yeah." Arielle remarked, giving a light laugh, twirling a strand of hair around her fingertips as she asked, "What are you doing now? Sorry, that was nosy.."

"Working at ELQ." Michael answered as her phone started to ring. The change in her demeanor instantly had his ears perking, she just looked tense all over, her voice changed to one of fear and anger, she rolled her eyes at the phone and a few seconds later, she hung up, distracted. "Everything okay?" Michael couldn't help but ask.

"Just my drunken father. Found out I was in town and he called to put the squeeze and a guilt trip on me for more money. Nothing I'm not used to. He blames me for my mom dying, after all." Arielle saw no reason to lie, she shrugged it off after she'd spoken and then said quietly, "Sorry.." and Michael shook his head, getting her key card as he walked out from behind the counter. "How about I walk you up to your room.. we can catch up or something.." he suggested, even though everything in him was telling him not to do this, not to get close, to remember he was so fucked up right now that even being friends with her was a very bad idea..

"If you're not busy." Arielle gave a soft smile, the calm coming back to her eyes again as they fixed on his somber brownish green ones ones. She'd always had this fascination with his eyes… They were this shade not quite green but not quite brown either.. They were hypnotic.

"I'm not." Michael admitted, picking up one of the leopard print designer suitcases off of the floor of the hotel lobby as he fell into step beside Arielle. And from the doorway leading into the office, Carly watched and mumbled to herself, "Nope.. I'm not sure I like that at all. And as soon as Sam digs up dirt, my suspicions will be proven again." before turning, walking into her office, shutting the door behind her as she went, calling Jacks.

The elevator slid open on the floor Arielle's room was located on and within seconds, they were standing in front of the door to the suite of rooms. Michael held out her key card and then said "This is it. It was nice seeing you again, Arielle.. How long are you here?"

"Probably 6 months at best.. That's what my agent told me earlier when I met him at Kelly's. Maybe I'll see you around or something, Mike?"

"Maybe you will, Ari." Michael answered, even as his mind was warning him against it. He wasn't in the shape to pursue her now.. But his heart was nagging at him _'Now might be the only chance you have, Michael. Do something. Try, at least. Friends is better than nothing at all, letting her leave again without even making an attempt.'_ and he shook his head at himself.

Nothing changed. It was still the right feeling, the girl he wanted and still the wrong time and circumstances. He got back onto the elevator and the second he stepped off in the lobby, his mother walked over and said quietly, "I don't like the looks of her, Michael.. And you just lost Abby."

"Mom, stop, okay? Even if I wanted something to happen, I'm too messed up. You don't need to give me the lecture and I'm not in the mood to hear it tonight." Michael told his mother as he grabbed his keys from the desk and walked out of the Metro Court, hands in his pockets. Maybe he could go walk along the piers.. clear his head.

That's ultimately what he wound up doing.

But nothing came of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**before i start, i found this on an old flashdrive earlier, it's one of the first GH things I ever wrote, i thought I'd share. Yes, it's a Michael III x OC story and this is the only part I have so far..**

 **It's set around the time right after Abby died, so obviously, none of the current drama will be happening exactly as it did if i keep it going that far. If people like it, I'll keep working on it, gladly. I sort of have a few ideas for it, even now.. The original character is potentially going to be the actual daughter of my favorite Port Charles couple Caleb + Livvie ( don't hold me to it, I have not quite made up my mind yet because i could also do another couple or not do one at all), though she did not grow up with them, instead, she was stolen by Caleb's manager, put up for adoption and adopted by an alcoholic dock worker and his quiet and timid wife..**

 **there will be triggering things in this if I keep it going, btw.. What do you guys think? Do I keep writing this one? I'll be real, I have no idea why I ever stopped.**

* * *

THREE

The doors to the diner opened and Arielle made her way in, covered in sticky and gooey fake blood, straight from the set of the horror movie they'd been in the process of filming a scene for when one of the other lead actresses had pitched a fit about Arielle getting more lines and things just basically shut down for the day. With only the thought of eating on her mind, she slunk up to the counter and in the process, she smacked straight into the back of Michael, who stood at the counter, looking at the menu overhead.

"Shit, sorry." Arielle bit her lower lip as she looked up at him when he turned to face her, a raised brow. "Arielle?"

"It's fake blood. I just left the set so I didn't strangle the living piss out of our secondary female lead, Brooklyn." Arielle answered, hints of an amused look on her face as she informed Michael playfully, "You tensed up, big guy. Worried a little?"

"Just turned to see you with fake blood everywhere and that special effects makeup that makes it seem as if you have a gash in your head. Kinda… It freaked me out a little?" Michael explained, his hand passing over the back of his head as he chuckled a little and shook his head, trying to will his heart down out of his throat while also wondering why exactly he had gotten so worked up just now and internally warning himself against that very thing.. he was a huge danger to her or anyone else he might get involved with presently, he had the blackout rages and the nightmares, the un diagnosed PTSD from the prison rape he was silently dealing with.

"He cares." Arielle's voice came out softer, slightly more of a puzzled musing than a statement. Almost like she didn't believe that he'd be worried as he'd seemed to be about her. "I'm kinda like a cat, big guy. I've got 9 lives. I'm only on my third one now." she joked, but she felt a shiver crawl over her body as she spoke because she thought of the 3 times she had been knocking right on Death's door and she'd damn near died.

Michael noticed that she seemed tense for a few seconds, a darkness flooded her warm and almost golden brown irises, but quickly, it vanished. He almost asked about it, instead, Mike, his adoptive grandfather, asked the pair, "What can I get the two of ya today?" as he and Michael exchanged small talk for a little while and when his grandfather asked about Ari, Michael nudged her and Arielle explained, "We went to school together." as she scanned the overhead menu and let them continue to talk.

Mike stared at the girl standing opposite his adopted grandson a moment.. And he thought about where he'd actually seen her at before, the night after Michael got admitted to the long term coma facility, when visiting hours had long since ended and he'd sweet talked a nurse at the front desk to come in and sit with Michael..

How she'd been leaving just as he'd come in and it was probably the fourth time in a week that he'd seen her doing so. The girl standing in front of him right now looked older; but he knew it.. She was the same girl who'd visited his adopted grandson late night in that longterm facility.

He could have revealed that, instead, he took what she said and left what he knew to be true alone.. even though deep down the older man thought his grandson could really use someone who cared to lean on right now at this point in his life and when he'd observed the two talking just a few minutes before, he'd noticed that the sparks just might be there, whether the two of them chose to admit it or not.

From the looks of it, neither of them were.

Their food came and before Arielle realized it, they'd found the back booth and sat down together, fell easily into this conversation about movies she'd done and guest spots on tv shows while Michael confided in her that he didn't want to be a corporate guy his whole life, he'd really rather be a mechanic and open his own garage.. Or an architect.

"So go do it, big guy!"

"You can't just do those things, Ari.. Especially not with my records and everything that's happened to me.. People aren't going to take a former convict seriously." Michael lamented, taking a bite of the chili, laughing when Ari did the same and groaned aloud, smiling blissfully as she commented through a mouth full, "This chili is amazing."

"My grandfather is a pretty damn good cook. He always has been."

" Stop changing the subject, by the way, but yes, he is. I wish I could do more than start the occasional fire when I cooked." Arielle mumbled, her eyes locking on his as she leaned in, her thumb trailing over his lower lip, getting some chili that dripped there, licking it off of her thumb. "You had chili on your face."

Michael felt his cheeks warming and he coughed a little, unable to do much other than nod and sort of just focus on her lips and how close they were to him. He diverted his eyes and then said "But it's like I said.. I'd never be able to do either thing."

"I didn't think I'd be an actress, big guy.. I'm a B level actress in indie flicks but.. My name is out there and I'm making money, making moves in the industry. You just have to want something badly enough." Arielle instructed, shaking her head as he continued to protest.

"Seriously. If you want to be a mechanic, you go do that. Do what makes you happy, Michael.. Not what you think everyone around you wants.. Personally? I'd rather be with a guy who's happily a mechanic than a guy who's unhappily loaded and the face of a corporate company.. Pretty sure your girlfriend would say the same, I mean.. If she really loves you." Arielle admitted, instantly kicking herself as the words left her mouth, reminding herself that she'd only be here 6 months and maybe not even that long and she had no actual business flirting on the former love of her pathetic little high school life.

"I'm actually not dating.." Michael said quietly, taking another bite of his food as he asked, "What's your boyfriend think, you traveling all over?"

"They don't.. Because I haven't dated anyone since my last boyfriend.. Which was about 3 years ago." Arielle admitted, stopping her eating to look up at him and shrug as if it were nothing. Truthfully, getting away from Alex was probably one of the 3 times she almost died. And she thanked god every single day that she'd gotten out.

"Ahh, well, my girlfriend Abby.. She died about 4 months ago." Michael grimaced, talking about it still hurt him more than anything, there wasn't a day that passed that he didn't think about her or miss her. It was still so fresh in his mind and heart, the pain was.

Seeing the pain in his eyes, Arielle's hand found his on the table and she sucked in a breath as she answered, "I'm sorry, Michael. That's horrible."

"It's okay, you didn't know."

The ringing of her cell phone had her grumbling and standing as she told him, "I'll see you around.. Maybe at that carnival they're doing in the town square? I thought about going, just for old times sake.. But for now, I really have to get back to the set."

"I'll walk you to your car if you want."

"That'd be great."


	4. Chapter 4

**BEFORE I BEGIN:**

 **WOW, TWO FAVES AND FOLLOWS! I'M SO GLAD EVEN TWO PEOPLE LIKED IT ENOUGH TO ADD IT TO THEIR MUST READ LISTS, THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. AS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS, I ACTUALLY HAVE A KILLER PLOT TWIST IN MIND. ARIELLE WILL BE SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER, BUT I'M NOT TELLING FOR NOW. ALL I WILL SAY IS THAT IT'S KIND OF IRONIC. AND NO, IT'S NOT CALEB AND LIVVIE OR JASON AND SAM.. ALSO THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PAST STORYLINES HERE AND THERE TOO. AND SOME OTHER RANDOMNESS.. LIKE THIS CHAPTER HERE. LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOU ROCK AND ARE AMAZING AS HELL.**

* * *

Arielle gave an annoyed roll of her eyes as she set sights on the brunette laughing loudly as she sat at the bar at Jakes, drink in hand, flanked on either side by these men who looked like walking sex. She slunk up to the bar and ordered a drink from Coleman, trying her very best not to meet the eyes of Brooklyn Cerillo.

But, naturally, Brooklyn noticed her first and with a laugh she asked, "Aren't you that other girl Dillon felt obligated to hire? The one who dies in the middle of the movie?"

"Whether he felt obligated or not, I got the part.. Pretty sure that with your cut rate acting skills, Brookie Poo, you were only given the part because you happen to be family and he felt sorry for your career singing taking a huge nosedive." Arielle sipped the foam off the top of her Guiness and laughed at the way Brooklyn's mouth flopped open and then shut and she all but exploded in silent rage. With an amused gleam in her eye, Arielle continued sarcastically, "What? No witty comeback?"

"You're such a bitch."

"Coming from you? I'll take it to mean you're complimenting me." Arielle sipped her drink, staring down into the mug it came in, trying her best not to keep the situation going any longer than necessary.. But naturally, Brooklyn was started and she wouldn't be stopped tonight.

She slid off her stool and stumbled over to Arielle's own seat down the bar. "Do you want a piece of me, dock trash?"

"Nope. You're honestly not my type, Cerillo.. And I don't like the idea of catching whatever STD you might've gotten from the countless horde of men you seem to run through like water. Just fuck off and let me drink." Arielle stated it calmly, quietly.

Brooklyn shoved at her just as she'd picked up the glass mug and Guinness covered the front of Arielle's red shirt, making it nearly transparent as the fabric soaked up the alcohol. Arielle bit her lip, took a few deep breaths and tried like hell not to lose the short fuse she had with the twit, but.. Brooklyn laughed and kept on making these remarks specifically designed to get into Arielle's head and finally, one of them worked.

Before she even realized it, the two were fighting in the bar and it spilled out into the parking lot where it was broken up seconds later by Johnny Zacarra, who took hold of Brooklyn and Michael, to Arielle's surprise, who'd quickly grabbed hold of her, even though she fought to get free from his grips, wanting nothing more than to claw Brooklyn's eyeballs out.

She was just sick of the girl.

Johnny got Brooklyn into his Porsche and they left and this left Michael and Arielle standing alone on the pier outside of Jake's. He relinquised his hold on Arielle and asked quietly, "Everything alright?"

"Just sick of that stupid walking ego trip. She's constantly fucking up the progress of the movie. Problem is, Dillon, our director, refuses to see it and let her go so we can get this movie filmed and done with. She's honestly angry that I got the part she wanted, so she's constantly sabotaging my costumes, doing things to make me look bad.. I think the idiot thinks it'll scare me, like the 'threat' she left outside the door of my hotel room last night…" Arielle explained patiently as she took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. Michael, however, eyed her in alarm and asked, "The note.. Do you still have it?"

"I told you, big guy, it was Brooklyn. She's been doing shit like this since we started filming.. She's even doing it to herself and telling anyone who will listen that I 'want her dead' and I'm 'trying to kill her.' I mean why she thinks I'd waste time on her insignificant ass, who knows but… She's got a screw loose, apparently." Arielle answered, but Michael shook his head and then said quietly, "I want to see these notes.. And the other stuff you think she's been doing. I just have this weird feeling.." as he held her gaze and then nodded, finally relenting. They started to walk towards the Metro Court and once they'd gotten to her hotel room, Michael looked around as soon as they'd entered.

Arielle dug around in her suitcases and found the notes, then she found the sabotaged costume and the creepy dead flowers and mouse that she'd found with her name on the card on set. Sitting them all out on the table in front of Michael, she opened a bottled water and peeled off her soaked t shirt, not in the least concerned about Michael's presence which made him feel his skin growing hot, he coughed, tried to divert his eyes from her shapely figure as the t shirt slowly slid up her head and hit the floor near his chair.

He turned his attention to the notes. After reading a few, he looked up and said quietly, "I think you need to show these to my half brother Dante.. He's a detective for PCPD.. I mean it could be Brooklyn but.. If she really is getting them too, Arielle, it might be someone else altogether.. And they did have to shut down filming that one day this week because someone found blood and then a body near the set, isn't that what you told me?"

"Why the hell would someone try to sabotage an indie movie though?"

"I read Dillon's script and I actually think I have an answer for that too.. Remember the whole TMK murders?"

"But they got Diego Alcazar, Mike, remember? They let us watch him being wheeled into the morgue down at PCPD when the news broke.. Because we were in third or fourth grade then and I remember me and Kristina being happy that we'd get to trick or treat the next week." Arielle sipped her water, chewing on the bottle top thoughtfully as she sank down in the chair and asked, "Did he really base the movie on the actual murders though?"

"yeah, because it's his way of dealing with the loss of Georgie." Michael answered quietly, standing and holding out his hand expectantly. Arielle looked up at him and asked quietly, "Where are we going at almost 1 am?"

"We're going to show these to my brother.. It might be nothing, but.. You're my friend, "Michael started to say, even as his mind nagged at him, 'And you feel some kind of way about her, even if you WON'T admit it, Michael', and finished, "And I don't want the risk of anything happening."

"Okay, alright, fine.. But I'm telling you, all it is is Brooklyn trying to get publicity and attention. That's all this is. I've dealt with girls like her before, you have to get a thick skin."

"But, Ari.. Sometimes you should get scared too and from the sound of these notes, Ari, you should be freaking out a little bit." Michael slipped his jacket back on, holding out her red leather jacket to her, waiting as she slipped into it.

"Okay, so what.. Your theory is that the TMK wasn't Diego and that now whoever it is is coming back because of the script being based on the old case?"

"Or, Arielle, it could be someone in town, stalking you and Brooklyn. Either way, it never hurts to be careful." Michael told her as they stepped onto the elevator, stopping again moments later in the lobby of the hotel. Michael found his mother still at work and he showed her the notes and then Carly looked from Arielle to Michael and Arielle told her calmly, "I told him the exact same thing you're thinking, ma'am. He just seems convinced that these could spell danger."

"How long have you been getting these?" Carly asked, eyeing the girl warily, wondering if this were some scheme to suck in her son, trap him somehow.. Or if the girl were in some kind of trouble and it was something Michael did not need to be involved in.. Looking at the girl though, something told Carly that the girl honestly believed that a co worker was sending them.

But when she was shown the notes, however, Carly got an entirely different feeling… she looked at Arielle and then said quietly, "I'm agreeing with my son. I think you should maybe listen to him. Sometimes, it's nothing but.. There's something about these notes, the wording.. It feels like there's something to it; something personal about it."

"I'm telling both of you, it's Brooklyn Cerillo being an insane bitch because I got her lead and she got stuck with the secondary. You guys aren't on set with me every day, you don't know how big of an attention whore she can be." Arielle maintained, Carly shaking her head as she pointed out firmly, "Trust me, I've seen her in action.. But if she says she's getting them too then maybe you should listen to my son and go and talk to Dante Falconeri about this."

"Okay, fine. To ease your minds and satisfy my curiosity, I will." Arielle finally relented, letting Michael walk her out to her Ferrari. She tossed him the keys and he took them, eyeing the sports car and then her. "There's a reason I didn't drive to Jakes tonight.. Knew I was going to get hammered because it's been one hell of a week, Mike.. I'm not sober enough to drive."

He took the keys and got into the car after helping her into her own seat and the two set off for Dante's apartment, the ride there mostly silent.

What if Michael was right, Arielle wondered, what if someone really wanted to hurt the people involved in this movie project? She felt her skin crawling.. She just had this feeling, now that she thought about it… someone was out to get her, and she might not like who that someone turned out to be..

"You okay, Ari?"

"I'm good, just trying to stay calm and not overthink this and run myself right into a panic. I knew them filming here and me taking the part was asking for every bit of bad luck I could bargain for in the entire universe." Arielle grumbled, staring out the window of the car as street signs and store fronts flew past.

"Why were you so against coming back?"

"Mostly, my father.. Things happened here, Mike.. Things I left the second my diploma was in hand to get away from.. I didn't want to hang around, relive everything I'd been through for the rest of my life.. I got away an d I swore I wasn't coming back.." Arielle answered as vaguely as possible, sighing quietly when she added, " My life wasn't.. It was a nightmare. I wanted to bury this part of me."

Michael nodded; it was safe to say he knew exactly where she came from with the wanting to escape. The problem with him was that he couldn't... And now, he was trapped with it, he re imagined it, all of it, every single night when he closed his eyes to try and get some sleep. And sometimes, he'd think about it all during the day.

"I can't blame you." he admitted finally, as they pulled into the parking garage of the complex Dante and Lulu shared a loft in… Arielle found herself putting her hand over his and giving his a gentle squeeze, almost as if she were reassuring him, trying to comfort him.

There was nothing to comfort her, she'd given that up years ago.. But it killed her to see him hurting like he obviously was.


	5. Chapter 5

**BEFORE I BEGIN:**

 **WOW, TWO FAVES AND FOLLOWS! I'M SO GLAD EVEN TWO PEOPLE LIKED IT ENOUGH TO ADD IT TO THEIR MUST READ LISTS, THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. AS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS, I ACTUALLY HAVE A KILLER PLOT TWIST IN MIND. ARIELLE WILL BE SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER, BUT I'M NOT TELLING FOR NOW. ALL I WILL SAY IS THAT IT'S KIND OF IRONIC. AND NO, IT'S NOT CALEB AND LIVVIE OR JASON AND SAM.. ALSO THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PAST STORYLINES HERE AND THERE TOO. AND SOME OTHER RANDOMNESS.. LIKE THIS CHAPTER HERE. LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOU ROCK AND ARE AMAZING AS HELL.**

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The knock on the door drew Arielle out of a deep sleep and she slid out of bed, grabbing an oversized red and navy blue plaid shirt, pulling onto her bare upper body. A quick look at the time according to the clock on her nightstand had her raising a brow and muttering under her breath, "What the hell? It's 3 am, people, seriously." as she called out loud, "Coming." and made her way to the hotel room door, opening it a little, peering out over the chain lock on her side of the door.

No one was out in the hall, but she remembered that some teenagers were renting rooms a few down from her own, something about a cheerleading competition taking place at Port Charles High so she thought nothing of it until her eyes settled on a brown manila envelope propped against the copper plated vase sitting on a table next to her door out in the hallway. She gave an annoyed roll of her eyes and grumbled about Brooklyn and her 'dedication' to this whole ruse that someone was out to get her, and trying to freak her out.

She pushed the door open, grabbing the envelope, opening it carefully, and raising a brow when a photograph of a teenage girl fluttered out and to the ground. She bent, picking up the photograph, studying it a moment. The girl in the photograph looked eerily similar to her and it was enough to make her skin crawl a little bit.

She grabbed it by the corner, holding it away, and a piece of stationary from the hotel lobby sitting on the table caught her eye as she put down the envelope and prepared to shove the picture back inside of it. Brown eyes danced over the paper, reading the words, laughing aloud at the sheer ludicrosity of what the note claimed.

"Riiiight.. Because the people who raised me actually wanted children to begin with. If they wanted a child, they'd have treated me one hell of a lot better than they did." she laughed, balling up the note, throwing it into a waste basket.

The claim that she belonged to the Zacharra crime family, was.. Well, it was sheer and utter stupidity at it's finest. Arielle turned to walk back into the hotel room, falling back across her bed, taking the photograph out, looking at it curiously.

The woman who Michael got sent to prison for murdering was a Zacharra… and according to the barely readable handwriting on the back of the photo, the photo in her hands was of the woman as a teenager.

"It's bullshit, that's what it is." Arielle muttered to herself, grumbling when she realized that she was now wide awake and she knew she wouldn't be getting to sleep again anytime soon. Her cell phone lit up and then started to ring and she rolled over, grabbing it.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?" Michael asked as he stepped out of Jakes, not even sure why he'd went into the bar in the first place, mosty because his brother Dante wanted quality time with him, but he'd never been fond of loud and noisy, crowded places.. He was even less fond of them now.. But with 3 or 4 mixed drinks in his system and a heart to heart with Dante fresh on his mind, here he was, calling her.

"Oh no, no.. The weirdo who left a picture of a dead woman outside of my hotel room did that just fine, Mike." Arielle raised to a sitting position on the bed and hearing the background noises she asked casually, " You're at Jakes?"

"Yeah, Dante wanted me to come out with him tonight.. We got to talking and somehow you came up and here I am, calling you." Michael awkwardly admitted it, mentally kicking himself as the words left his mouth.

Arielle gave a soft laugh and then asked quietly, "You want somebody to come pick you up, big guy? You weren't ever a crowd person…" as she mentally kicked herself for extending the offer, what the hell was she doing? She was only going to be here a few more months, tops… But the urge to see him again, to make sure he got somewhere safe for the night, it overpowered her before she could honestly stop it.

" I was that obvious, huh?" Michael asked as he looked at his watch and then said quietly, " Actually, Arielle, if you want to and you're not sleepy and it won't be a major inconvienence…" as he immediately found himself torn between hoping she said she'd come get him and they could take a late night ride and hoping she'd say no so he wouldn't keep pursuing her when he knew he wasn't ready or fit to be in a relationship, not to mention the fact that she seemed pretty dead set on leaving town as soon as the movie finished filming.

" I'm putting on pants now and grabbing my keys, Mike. On a scale of kegger to just a light little old lady brunch.. How drunk are you?" Arielle asked, laughing a little, but mostly concerned for him, she seemed to stay worried about him and constantly thinking about him since her return to Port Charles.

It wasn't a good idea but the harder she tried to stop it, the more it happened against her will.

" I'm not quite at kegger but I passed brunch with little old ladies two or three mixed drinks and one beer ago." Michael chuckled as he asked, "You sounded upset when you picked up?"

"yeah, I had something weird happen, but it's not a big deal.. Probably some dumb ass trying to stir thing up by making up something that cannot possibly be true." Arielle admitted, instantly adding, "No, it wasn't another one of those threatening things.. This was… it was different, I'd actually rather not think about it, Mike." as she stepped onto the elevator, pushing the button for the lobby.

She was making her way past and Carly stopped her, said in a slightly creeped out tone, "A package came for you earlier.. I called Dante here to intercept it, there was something about the delivery person… Either way, you shouldn't be going out late by yourself."

"I'll be fine. I got a license to carry and a gun out in my Ferrari. And if a bullet won't stop someone dumb enough to approach me when I've had quite a few weird nights happen to me lately, then they're asking to die."

"So it is freaking you out."

"It is but.. When you're in my line of work, Mrs. Jacks, you kind of have to take the good with the bad and do as much as you can to keep the crazies out of your life and out of your head. That episode of CSI Miami last year got me at least one weirdo internet stalker.. It was scary as hell, but.. I realized I could stay indoors, paralyzed with fear or I could accept the inevitable.. One day, whether we like it or not, we are all going to bite the bullet. I'd rather go out with no regrets and no fear than I would afraid of everything and paranoid as hell." Arielle commented, giving the woman a smile as Carly studied her with a raised brow.

"Also, I grew up on the rough side of town.. So I'm not really worried about going out around here alone after dark. I roamed all over this town after dark alone as a kid."

"I'm taking it you had an interesting childhood." Carly mused, gazing at the brunette her son seemed to be so interested in lately, wondering what Sam's digging around in this girls past was going to un earth and how it would effect her son Michael.

"That's the polite way of putting it?" Arielle shrugged it off as she said again, "Thanks.. For getting the package into Dante's hands.. That would've made the second weird thing I've gotten tonight.."

"you got something anyway?"

"It was just a photo of some woman who died a few years ago or something, a weird note to go with it. Not a big deal really because the claim the note made was comedic at best."

After a few more long and tense minutes, Arielle was driving to Jakes, parking and getting out and helping a slightly tipsy Michael into the passenger side of her Ferrari while exchanging pleasentries with Lulu, who'd come to pick up Dante and take him back to their loft.

"So… this is interesting, seeing you tipsy." Arielle mused, giving a soft laugh as she looked over at Michael who groaned and muttered about everything spinning.

"We're taking the back way up to my room.. Unless you want your mother seeing you tipsy, Mike." Arielle explained as she helped him out of her car and then up the few flights of stairs to her room with him leaning on her heavily. She could tell his guard was down tonight, it felt nice, not so tense and awkward.


	6. Chapter 6

**BEFORE I BEGIN:**

 **WOW, THREE FAVES AND FOLLOWS! AND TWO REVIEWS..I'M SO GLAD EVEN TWO PEOPLE LIKED IT ENOUGH TO ADD IT TO THEIR MUST READ LISTS, THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. AS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS, I ACTUALLY HAVE A KILLER PLOT TWIST IN MIND. ARIELLE WILL BE SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER, BUT I'M NOT TELLING FOR NOW. ALL I WILL SAY IS THAT IT'S KIND OF IRONIC. AND NO, IT'S NOT CALEB AND LIVVIE OR JASON AND SAM.. ALSO THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PAST STORYLINES HERE AND THERE TOO. AND SOME OTHER RANDOMNESS.. LIKE THIS CHAPTER HERE. LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOU ROCK AND ARE AMAZING AS HELL.**

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The morning dawned bright and clear and entirely too early for Arielle as she sat up in the bed of her hotel room, glaring at the cell phone alarm. "It feels like I literally just fell asleep." she muttered, hearing a knock on the door of her hotel room, standing and pulling on an oversized Avenged t shirt to go and answer it. To her surprise, a full breakfast and a single dark red rose sat in the hallway, the note propped against the vase was from Michael. He'd apparently stopped on his way out of the hotel lobby earlier when he left, gotten room service ordered for her room. She smiled a little, teeth tugging at her lower lip as she then immediately laughed at herself.

All they'd ever be, she reminded herself quickly, was old friends… No matter how much she wanted the opposite to happen.. No matter how hard she wished for it.. There were her obstacles in the way and then his obstacles in the way.

She wheeled the cart in and dug into breakfast, making a mental note to get him lunch when she got her own lunch break from the movie set later in the day.. Because she had this feeling that Michael didn't do the whole hour for lunch break thing like he should. He'd told her a lot about his grief at losing Abby the night before, and she knew from personal experience that grief would make you crazy if you didn't keep busy, so she could just imagine Michael being as busy as possible working. And if that were true, it stood to reason that he didn't do lunch as she thought previously..

She finished her food, pushed the tray to the hallway and she went to take a shower, and was just getting out whenever her manager called and asked, "So… what's this I hear about a corporate suit leaving your room at almost 3 am?"

"Huh?"

"Open the morning newspaper, Arielle.. Didn't you say the kid went to prison? How's he a corporate suit?"

"They cleared his records, I guess.. My question to you, Marlon, is how the hell did this go to press so fast? And why, even, is it a headline? Don't these people have anything else to talk about, really?"

The door was banged on loudly and Arielle grumbled when she heard Michael's mother Carly shouting from the other side of it. "And now I get to do damage control before I'm even at work.. Yay, mornings." Arielle mumbled dryly as she slunk to the door, stepping aside and letting an irate Carly into the room.

"My son isn't in a good place right now.. You have no right to be playing on that weakness. Who the hell do you think you are, bringing him back up to your room and doing god knows what until 3 am?" Carly asked in a rush, angry and glaring; pacing as she looked at Arielle who was just standing there, this calm smirk on her face.

"First of all, Mrs. Jacks.. Michael's an adult.. He called me to come pick him up. Secondly, I'm aware that his head's not in a good place.. We discussed that and a thousand other things last night while he was up here.. And thirdly, if I wanted to sleep with Michael, I'd have made a move last night.. Michael is my friend. I don't want to ruin a perfectly good friendship because I feel things for him that I can't explain and that might not be reciprocated. But it's nice to know you think I'm basically a high price hooker… And last time I checked, Mrs. Jacks…. There's an expression about people in glass houses and the stones they shouldn't be throwing? If you came up here to make me leave your son alone, ma'am, I gotta say… You're probably only going to succeed in alienating yourself from his life.. Because this shit is exactly why Michael doesn't confide in you anymore."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"This, the over reacting, the accusations, the insinuations that all your son is good for is money or cock.. Believe it or not, Mrs. Jacks, I actually care about him and I know his head's not in a good place.. I'm only offering friendship.. I'm not offering him a warm bed or anything sexual… Not that it's any of your fucking business." Arielle finished the orange juice she'd poured into a little plastic cup and sitting the cup down, she studied Michael's mother intently, adding after a few seconds, "Michael deserves better than me anyway.. He needs someone who can give him everything he could ever want."

Carly studied the brunette.

Arielle studied Michael's mother.

"Playing devils advocate here… What makes you think you couldn't?"

"Because, okay? I've had a messed up life.. Bad things tend to repeatedly happen to me.. It's made me think that I'm not capable of loving someone or being loved.. Besides, I've seen him with Josslyn, his baby sister… One day he's gonna want kids and I… I might not ever be able to give him that." Arielle answered quietly, eyes darting around the room, not sure even why she was confiding in the woman who obviously hated her.

Carly studied the brunette and then asked quietly, "How do you feel about my son?"

"You don't want me to answer that, trust me.. Because judging by this tantrum, ma'am, if I told you," Arielle paused, taking a drink and then continued, "You'd really lose your shit."

Carly studied the brunette quietly then said "Just stay away."

"I try to."

As the door banged shut, Arielle flipped it off on her side as she worked on getting ready to go to the set.. And fifteen minutes later, she sat on location, watching PCPD take someone past in a black bag, load them into the county coroner's truck.. Dillon walked over, pale and shaken.

"Filming is off for the week."

"What? Wait, can't we film the other stuff? The stuff that happens out on the bridge or the bit that happens in that abandoned sorority house?"

"The cops said that filiming anything, given the things you and Brooklyn have been getting, is not a smart idea for the moment."

Arielle punched the wheel in frustration… But deep down, parts of her were happy.. She wouldn't be leaving town as soon as she thought she was when she showed up to film the movie… Maybe..

She didn't dare let herself finish the thought… Michael deserved better.


	7. Chapter 7

**BEFORE I BEGIN:**

 **WOW, THREE FAVES AND FOLLOWS! AND TWO REVIEWS..I'M SO GLAD EVEN TWO PEOPLE LIKED IT ENOUGH TO ADD IT TO THEIR MUST READ LISTS, THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. AS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS, I ACTUALLY HAVE A KILLER PLOT TWIST IN MIND. ARIELLE WILL BE SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER, BUT I'M NOT TELLING FOR NOW. ALL I WILL SAY IS THAT IT'S KIND OF IRONIC. AND NO, IT'S NOT CALEB AND LIVVIE OR JASON AND SAM.. ALSO THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PAST STORYLINES HERE AND THERE TOO. AND SOME OTHER RANDOMNESS.. LIKE THIS CHAPTER HERE. LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOU ROCK AND ARE AMAZING AS HELL.**

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"Can you kindly get the fuck over yourself, Brooklyn Cerillo? If I really wanted you dead, sweetheart.." Arielle paused and took a sip of her cherry flavored Dr. Pepper before looking up from the menu in front of her to finish speaking, "I'd stab you now and get it over with. But you're not worth the waste of my time, honestly.. Go play in traffic now, you're dismissed." Arielle gave a wave of her hand and Brooklyn leaned in and said calmly, "We both know you want me off this project."

"Oh, trust me.. I think the entire fucking cast and crew knows that, Brooklyn, so that's not a surprise.. But if you tell PCPD one more god damn time that I'm actually trying to murder you or insinuate in any way, shape or form that I'm the one going around offing people with telephone cords and rope? I'll pull every single strand of that hair out and shove it down your throat. If anyone's going around offing people, it's you.. Because I find it funny that you were the last person to argue with Val on set before someone killed her." with the words spoken, Arielle stood calmly, shoved a little harder than usual past Brooklyn -[ it resulted in her falling on the floor on her ass ] and after throwing away her containers and her drink cup, she smirked and slunk out, right past Brooklyn…

Or she tried to but Brooklyn grabbed her ankle, pulling her down into the floor with her. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, the two so called adults, two women who spent enough time in the limelight previously to know how to behave themselves accordingly in public were going at it like two teenage girls in a brawl.

It was broken up by Carly, who managed to somehow grab hold of Arielle and Tracy, who'd been about to leave the diner when the fight started to intensify and she'd quickly grabbed hold of her granddaughter Brooklyn.

"You ripped my shirt!"

"You're lucky I didn't use it to choke you with." Arielle grumbled as she wrinkled up her nose in disdain at her hair being coated in a strawberry milkshake. To be fair, Brooklyn was covered in cherry flavored soda, but the whole thing looked utterly ridiculous.

Carly stepped away from the girl her son had been spending so much time with and asked calmly, "Is there a reason you're wearing her milkshake?"

"She ran her mouth and made up lies.. As a result? I spent 5 hours in interrogation. Typical though.. If a rich bitch says it, it must be gospel.. And if there's a dock trash kid or a mobster nearby? They're fucked because damned if the boys in blue will actually do their fucking job and try to find out who really did it.. Those five hours wasted? Couldv'e been spent actually analyzing the scene." Arielle sighed and turned, starting to walk away but Carly stopped her by saying "Not all of them are like that."

"Every one I've ever had a run in was… Except Dante, but I hardly know him too, so I can't say in absolute certainty that he isn't also like the rest of the people in this town.. Anyway, thanks for intervention, whatever that was, but I'm gonna go now before something else happens and that crazy bitch gets it in her mind to blame me for it."

Arielle walked out onto the sidewalk, grumbling when it automatically started to rain. She'd made it halfway down the sidewalk when she smacked straight into the chest of Michael, who was wearing a suit and tie, evidently he'd just left the offices of ELQ. He eyed her a moment and burst into laughter as he asked, "Why are you covered in milkshake, Ari?"

"Ask Brooklyn." Arielle grumbled as she pretended to pout up at him and asked, "How was your day?"

"It went, that's about all I can say. Board meetings put me to sleep. I think I was snoring in the last one, honestly.." Michael trailed off as his eyes caught on someone lurking near Arielle's car. Arielle raised a brow as Michael stepped around her and started to walk towards something behind them. Turning a round, it was just in time to see a person running away, that person had been wearing a trenchcoat with a hood over their head.. Michael stood by her car now, reading something.

When he started to walk back towards her, he was paler, he had this strange look on his face and he held out the paper. "People think that just because October is the month of Halloween they can play sick jokes.. C'mon, we're going to walk down to PCPD and give that to Dante now."

"Michael? Who was…"

"I don't know, when I shouted, the person took off running.. But I don't like the idea that whoever this person is, they can threaten you like that. Open it." Michael nodded to the note Arielle held in her hands and her eyes darted over the paper.

Clumsily scrawled in this watery looking red ink, the words "EENIE MEENIE MINIE.." met her eyes and she got a cold chill down her spine. She held out her hand and then asked, "There was something with it.. Hand it over."

Michael held out a picture of her, taken when she'd been sleeping, it had to have been the night before because she recognized the pajamas as the one she'd taken off this morning.. The ones lying right now in the bathroom floor of her hotel room.

"This son of a bitch I swear to God.. If PCPD doesn't hurry up and catch them I'm going to do it myself. I hate sick fucking people like this." Arielle burst out, kicking a brick wall in her frustration. Michael didn't think, he just reacted… That's what shocked him most, really.. He'd been avoiding contact with people before Abby, and after she died, he went right back to doing that… But lately, around Arielle, he'd been opening up just a little… He pulled her against him and said quietly, "I have a spare bedroom.. I'd just feel better if you stayed with me… at least until you're done filming the movie.."

"Are you sure, Michael, I mean…"

"This sick freak can't get to you if you're not alone.. I mean they can but… it won't be as easily done."

"Michael, no… if you do this, it puts you in danger."

"I'd rather take a little risk then lose my best friend, the girl I… Nevermind… It's just safer, okay? And it'll make me feel better." Michael mentally kicked himself because he'd almost said things that he knew he felt but wasn't ready to try and deal with at the moment… Because they were both in a bad place.


End file.
